ANNOYED with Stitch Fix

Hello. I fell off the face of the earth. Sorry. I went on vacations. Then I started school again. I wasn't doing anything that interesting, actually. Well, I went to Ireland. That was pretty great. For anyone out there that might actually be wondering where I was (and I'm pretty sure those of you that actually read this know me for realsies and weren't concerned), I'm sorry. 

When I experience customer service that is either super awesome or super terrible I feel compelled to rave about it or warn people, so....

On to the point of the post: Stitch Fix has annoyed and disappointed me for the last time. I had previously been getting fixes pretty regularly, but it was getting to be expensive, so I stopped. Then I decided I'd treat myself to a back to school present. Since I'm workig full time and taking 10 credits this semester, what better to gift myself than clothes deliveres to my doorstep?! I had pretty high hopes, since I kept everything from the last box I ordered. I didn't request any specific pieces, but I requested cozy, warm pieces in fantastic fall colors. 

O_o.....

I should mention that I have 1 thing in my stitch fix profile that it says not to send me because I don't like them and won't buy them: skinny jeans. I also asked for the lowest prices possible, but I understand that average prices here are a bit high and if a piece is REALLY great, send it anyway.

Admittedly, I peeked at the receipt before I got the package and instantly became annoyed. Nothing was under $50. Not. One. Item. And the last item on the list?! Skinny freakin' jeans. This is like, my fifth or sixth fix! Really?! This is worse than the dreaded first fix of doom! By now they should 1. Know my preferences, 2. Know my size, and 3. Know my price preferenes! Hideous disappointment and frustration, here. 

So the box arrives. The skinny jeans are gray, WAY TOO INSANELY tight and $98.  No, no, no, a million times no. Back in the box.

Item #2 is a black and white striped fit and flare dress. Gee. That sounds familiar. Possibly because they sent me a near identical dress in my second fix. I dis not buy it then and I was not buying t now. It did not look or feel like fall. It was $68.

The third item was a black and white drape front cardigan. Much like the many drape front cardigans they sent me in the past. Much like the black and white aztec print drape front cardigan I bought from them. Back in the box. Now I've had two recycled items. Swell. Also $68.

The fourth item was a sheer, sleeveless, maroon shell with decorative cut outs in the back. Ummmm.....even if I wore a cardigan, it would be like I wasn't wearing a top at all. I live in freaking Connecticut. Are you kidding me?! The kicker? 74 freaking dollars. Seventy. Four.   I just...I mean, really? Fall in Connecticut? No sleeves? I just...I'm at a total loss. At least they got the color right.

Finally, item number 5 was a blousy "henley" with an odd pattern I didn't care for and did not at all flatter my shape. This was the cheapest item in the box at $54.

It is obvious that they did not reference my previous fixes, my profile, or my pinterest board when they threw these 5 items in a box and shipped them to me. I am IRATE that I wasted $20 on this. I apologize to everyone That used my referral code. I am embarrassed that I endorsed a company that ignores their customers. I simply cannot believe that they would ignore everything I said, but speaking with others, it seems they do that quite a lot. A friend used my referral code and the first fix had a bunch of enormous loose knit sweaters in it, so she requested they not send her any sweaters like that for fix #2. Guess what came in fix #2?

Should you decide to use their service anyway please be aware that you may be wasting $20. 

All of the good things! (none of the bad) And Music I want you to hear.

So many awesome things are happening, you guys! I'm having such a great couple of days. Much improved over last week. Last Tuesday beat me upside the head with a freaking brick. O-Chem exam, O-Chem quiz and TWO O-Chem labs, not to mention the work day from hell. Saying I was fried was the understatement of the century.
Good things this week:
~Got offered paying acting gig! This is the best news of all. A very funny friend is writing a humorous murder mystery dinner set in colonial times. I was asked if I would put on a big poufy dress and act hysterical over a (faux) dead body. Yes. Yes I will.
~Bridal Expo with my sister. I'm super pleased to be MoH in my sister's wedding. She's pretty much the greatest ever and her fiance rocks. As much as I hate all things bridal, I'm excited to help her plan her day.
~ Rehearsal for next weeks Irish music festival. Love the band. Love the song. Can't wait to put on my green and sing some Flogging Molly
~ My bestie is coming to visit this weekend! YAYS!
~Stitch Fix of awesomeness INCLUDING an email from someone AT Stitch Fix thanking me for blogging about them. SWEET.
~New Graze box came today with tasty noms.

Work blows, school is hard, I'm getting two fillings tomorrow and friends are generally disappointing me with their terrible treatment of others, but I've decided that I need to focus on the awesome and kick everything that is being lame to the curb. I faltered a little bit with this this week. Not going to lie. Monday was a BAD day for me. I got all in my feelings and was exhausted and sad. Tuesday turned it around, though and I started to get my perspective back. I'm still struggling with some anger and disappointment, but I'm pretty determined to put it behind me and soldier on. People can be SO disappointing sometimes, and sadly, when people are acting like Ultra Mega Douchebags, I've realized that you have to offer them the one chance to stop and apologize and if they don't take you up on that offer, then you have to put distance in between you otherwise you risk getting sucked into the vortex of their terribleness. There was a time when I would DESPERATELY try to get people to come over to the side of good and reason, but it just burned me out and pissed them off, so I've given up on that. The lessons here are: Real friends don't encourage you to do bad things. Real friends don't seek to hurt you (and anyone else they can). Some people don't give a hoot about honesty and don't want to hear it. Bad people do bad things and you can't stop them all. Take care of yourself because no one else will. If that means cutting people out of your life, then do it. Karma exists, I've seen it work and it is both ironic and cruel. I'm finished with people who try to ruin my zen.

In the spirit of awesome things I'd like to share a few of the things I can't stop listening to right now that I think everyone should know about:

• Beck's new album, Morning Phase. Have you heard this? It blows my mind. It's unlike anything I've heard from him before. So beautiful. Check it out.
• Fitz and The Tantrums. In particular, Moneygrabber. I literally had to stop myself from dancing to class listening to this. I might risk looking like a complete weirdo for Fitz. 
• Everything Agnes Obel has put out. It's dark and haunting and pretty and I'm in love with her. You should fall in love with her too.
• Postmodern Jukebox. They take pop songs (most of which I find terrible) and class them up as swing or standards. They're fantastic
• All of The Hunger Games soundtracks. It's a lot of the folksy/bluegrassy stuff I really like. I have not seen the movies or read the books, but I am addicted to the soundtracks. I love The Civil Wars, Birdy and The Carolina Chocolate Drops already, so these albums were already a win for me.

Once upon a time my Spotify account was attached to Facebook and then that got REALLY annoying because every time I listened to something it posted, so I had the accounts separated. I don't know about you guys, but if I'm really grooving on a song, I can listen to it 4 or 5 times before I move on. I'm ladymacbeth1980 on Spotify, if anyone wants to follow me.

Go out into the world people and try to do more good than you do harm. That's my goal every day.

I leave you with a picture of my kitten, to give you the warm fuzzies. Vasili hopes you have a great weekend.

Stitch Fix #5 - BEST. FIX. EVER.

OMFG You guys. Seriously. I had a thought. It's like Stitch Fix is a Rules girl. Remember that book? And all the crazy dating advice it gave you to make men want you? All the playing hard to get and remaining a mystery and such? Well, Stitch Fix has been luring me in and pushing me away and FINALLY after all that teasing, they gave me EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED. I'm keeping everything. That's right. I said it. Everything. All the items. They all fit perfectly. They were all flattering. They were all adorable. The prices were all awesome (in the context of Stitch Fix, anyway). I just can't even. All my previous sadness is forgotten. You win Stitch Fix. You win. I should point out that I asked for something green as I am singing in a St. Patty's Day concert. I also continued to demand grown up person pants. On to zee fix!!!

PANTS! HOLY CRAP! Like....normal person pants. Like....over the age of 18 pants. Pants I can move in. Pants that aren't suction cupped to my thighs. Pants that are long enough. Holy Jesus. These are the Margaret M Ariel Trouser in dark gray. They are being offered for $68. Why, yes. I think I will. They are a size 8 and they will look lovely with some heels. Enjoy my argyle socks. Note the lack of splotches on my mirror. You are most welcome.

This cardigan rocks. It is the Caramela Benfield Drape Front Cardigan in Purple. $58 smackers. I *might* have an addiction to drapey cardigans I can wrap around my freezing cold torso. No idea why....*cough* still 10 degrees in March. Curse you Mother Nature!!! *cough* It's so soft. And it is all mine. 

Close up of the heathered portion.

This is two items. First the 41 Hawthorn Freddy Sleeveless Chiffon Dress in green. Green is my favorite color. Also $58. I was concerned about the silhouette. I thought it might make me look bunchy or shorter in the torso, but I dig it. I need to lift some weights and get a jacket, but this is very nice! We also have the Zad Cassy Hollowed Clover Long Necklace. $28. Hello. No brainer. This is my perfect accessory.

Close up of pretty clover necklace that is ALL MINE.

And finally, because I'm a sucker for a scarf AND a quirky print The Look By M Lara Bicycle Print Infinity Scarf. DUDE. BICYCLES. Oh right...$36. 

Close up of the cuteness. YAY!

Yeah...this was what I've been waiting for. The big winner in which I buy all the things. So, The total was $248. Minus the $25 credit. Minus the 25% off discount for buying ALL THE THINGS! I'm paying $166 for all five pieces, which works out to about $33 a piece. Not bad if I do say so myself. I think Stitch Fix is getting better little by little. They definitely listened to everything I had to say last time. It was honest, but it wasn't great. I tried to be diplomatic, but I was pretty let down. I had Sasha again and she did a brilliant job this time around. I tend to think that sometimes these poor stylists get hosed by what they have in stock. Or lack thereof. I still think this can be remedied by communicating with the clients. Asking them if they mind waiting an extra week or letting them know what alternatives there are if what they're looking for isn't something that's available. A quick email would be enough. I hope they take those suggestions I made to heart in my responses from last month. As always, I appreciate it when people use my referral link, so Here it is again. If nothing else, this has been an adventure and I have some GREAT pieces that I love to wear, even if I've had some serious duds. I will continue on in my relationship with Stitch Fix, especially since it's hard for me to shop what with work and school and all. Did I mention that Organic Chemistry is a bitch? Have you guys tried Stitch Fix yet? What did you think?

Stitch Fix #4. Womp womp.

*Sigh* I just....Oh, I don't even know, you guys. As I mentioned previously, I knew I was going to be hella disappointed with this fix. I'm bringing hella back, btw. And I was. So very disappointed. I had Sasha again as a stylist and she started off her note telling me that their stock was very low. Great. I feel like that's $20 wasted. I MUCH rather would have gotten an e-mail asking me if I would mind postponing my fix a week or two until my requests could be accommodated. I'd be happy to wait if it meant that I would receive the items I wanted. Anyhoo, I did receive embellished tops, as I'd asked for, so that was cool. I got a repeat top from a previous box in a different color and a maxi skirt instead of the pants I wanted. What I was most bummed about was the price point of the box as a whole, the fact that they could not accommodate a request for pants that are not skinny jeans and that there was only one piece that would really be appropriate for me to wear given the weather we're having right now. It is a whopping 12 degrees fahrenheit right now, you guys. I am chilled to the bone.  They DID respond to my e-mail, however I don't really think that they looked at my account history or really read my request. They thought I had wanted jeans (wrong-o) and also said they couldn't guarantee that every piece would be less than $50 (also, not what I said). I'm debating replying and correcting the things they misunderstood. ANYHOO. On to my box of sadness. I am watching TNG while I write this in an attempt to cheer me up. Maybe I'll also have whiskey. We'll see.



Pardon my hair. I just got back from class and it is matted from my hat. I debated even posting this because it makes me look lumpy. Then I thought, nah, view the lumps. Understand my disappointment with this piece. This is the Lily Bethanie Side-Ruched knit top. It is $78. I can't find this clothing line online at all. No. No to $78 and no lumps. I got this same shirt in black in my last fix. I didn't keep it then because of the price (and the lumps) and I'm not keeping it now.

This is the Collective Concepts Geoffry Geo Print blouse. It is $68. I might have liked this if it hadn't been navy blue and orange. I am repelled by this color combination. I'm also not that big a fan of the print itself. Here it is up close.

Here it is far away. I feel like I'm wearing a bib. I can't find this particular shirt on sale online anywhere else. I think I need that whiskey now.

This is the Katherine Barclay Ziza Chain Detailed Sleeveless Blouse. $28. It's a reasonable price, anyway. Ok. It's friggin freezing. I need sleeves. I can't even think about this. The chain detail feels....odd to me. Maybe it's my OCD, but the fact that it's asymmetrical bugs me.

So, I realize you can see my bra. I thought about changing it and then decided not to because I wanted to illustrate how sheer this blouse is. It's not lined. At all. I probably would have kept it if it was lined. I'm also not a fan of white. I'm going to check that off as a color not to send me. I'm also going to check the color blue. I seem to be getting a lot of it and I have to wear navy blue scrubs every day to work. I'm all blued out. I don't think this looks bad on except for the fact that it isn't lined.

I apologize for the state of my mirror. I didn't realize that it was this dirty until I took this photo. However, I'm too tired to do anything about it now. Next time, kids. This is the Mystree Charlie Mixed Stripe Maxi skirt. I own 2 striped maxi skirts already. I paid less than $30 for each of them. At $68 this was too expensive. Can't find this particular item online either.

This is the one piece I'm considering keeping. This would be the Mystree Abigail Colorblock lace trim top. It is $58. Can't find it online anywhere. It's pretty. I pinned it, in fact as an example of one of their products that I liked. It's thin and sleeveless, but it's classic and timeless and I do have a black cardigan I can pair this with until temperatures improve.

Here's the up close of the lace detail.

I would be annoyed to lose my $20. I also have a $25 credit, so it'd only be another $13. I will keep it. It'll fit in to my wardrobe well, I know I look good in it and I'll get compliments. 

There it is guys. Will I schedule another one? Yeah. I'm a sucker. I REALLY want a box with 5 pieces I love. *sigh* I don't know. This service has been so up and down. I find when they miss the mark, they REALLY miss it. When they get it right, though, it's so great. I guess that's the chance you take. I did tell them at checkout that I would prefer to wait if they can't accommodate me. Maybe they'll add it as an option? What do you guys think? Has anyone out there gotten a fix and felt differently? The same? Do you think I'm being too persnickety? 

It's my referral link. Just in case.

Disgruntled and Disappointed.

Hello again world. I've been thinking...

I had a dream last night in which the reciept Stitch Fix sent me for my items was incorrect and when I received the box it was full of stuff I actually liked at reasonable prices. When I woke up I was super disappointed. 

That was kind of weird. I guess I'm more annoyed than I realized. So I made a decision. I decided that instead of waiting for the box of stuff I'm not going to buy to get here that I would ask Stitch Fix directly, what the hell is up? So I sent this message to their customer service department:

A request I had made for this fix and price preferences.: 

Hello,
I have a couple questions. One, I had requested pants for this most recent fix and I can see by my receipt that there are no pants in my fix. I'm curious as to why, since I don't feel like this is such a specific request that it couldn't be accommodated. I'm a very common size, so it wouldn't be hard to find a pair that fit me.

My second question is this, I have done my research and follow a lot of blogs in which people are consistently getting multiple pieces in each box that are $20 and $30 dollars cheaper than what I'm being sent. I have the cheaper the better selected as my preference for all pieces and yet in this box I'm being sent a $78 shirt. The total with the discount is $225 again. I had this issue with my first box. I complained about the prices then. There's just absolutely no way I would ever pay $78 for a top that isn't a sweater or a jacket. I'm curious as to why my price preferences are not being acknowledged when I know that you stock pieces that are in my preferential price range that I also find attractive. Especially when I see that a significant number of other people are receiving those pieces. Thank you.

The way I see it, I'm paying money for this service no matter what. You get my $20 whether or not I buy something. Why on earth wouldn't you accommodate the items I put forth in my survey? ESPECIALLY the price points. You do want me to buy things, yes? NOW, if I have asked for something ridiculous, like a bejeweled silk blazer for under $40, then fine, tell me I'm crazy. I just feel like it's not too much to ask to send me a pair of dressy pants for under $60. I'm super fucking disappointed that there are no Goddamn pants in this fix. It is what I requested, it is what I wanted. I have a hard time believing that they have none of those in a size 6 or 8. I'm not asking for a miracle here. I am VERY interested in seeing what they have to say in response.

I also decided that I'm going to ask Birchbox why some people got this months "find" and others didn't. They did say once that everyone would get a find. We'll see....the internet is a glorious thing, isn't it? Businesses can't dupe you when other people are sharing their experiences with the world. 

Online Subscription Box BONANZA!!!!

Hey there denizens of the interwebs.
How you doin'?

So, I may have an addiction to subscription boxes. Sad, but true. I can't help myself. They're just so SHINY and SURPRISING. And they're mail that isn't bills. I like mail that isn't bills. I thought I'd share my thoughts on the things I signed up for and received and the things I'm anxiously awaiting.

SO much information!!!!

#1 Birchbox
I've been subscribing to Birchbox since March of last year. It's $10 a month. Initially I REALLY liked it. Recently, though, I feel their boxes are sliding downhill. For instance, in my last box the samples were:
1. A sample size organic mascara: Nice! Definitely like this and using it
2. Three bags of tea: Ok....I like tea, but this is supposed to be a beauty box. Also, pretty cheap.
3. A shampoo that is not intended for color treated hair (which I have)
4. and it's matching conditioner ALSO not intended for color treated hair: Hunh. I mean, my profile says I color treat and that my hair is red. ANY beauty professional knows that sulfates and alcohol will strip my insanely expensive dye job from my head in no time flat. Uh....hello?! WTF Birchbox? Stuff I can't use. Grrrreat.
5. The TINIEST little one use pod of body butter. .....o_O......wtf is going on here? I DEFINITELY did not get $10 worth of stuff in this box.
ALSO, SOME people got a Birchbox "find" in their box. I was under the impression that when they find something that's awesome they add it to every box. Or so they said. Apparently this is no longer true. I did not get the find this month. Don't they know that ladies on the internet talk?

I have my profile set to say that I want make-up, make-up and more make-up. I HAVE NOT been getting make up for the most part. I even slimmed down the stuff I want in my box in the hope that saying NO to things I might be okay trying would put more make-up in my box. No dice. Well, I made the decision to futz with my profile ONE MORE TIME and try ONE MORE BOX to see if it makes a difference. If not, Adios Birchbox. After I spend my points and get money off of a purchase in the shop, that is.

#2 I've decided to try Petit Vour. They are a vegan beauty subscription box for $15 a month. I've read quite a few reviews and they seem to have a tendency to send full size items and large samples. I'd rather be using vegan beauty anyway, so we'll see how this one goes. I'm familiar with some of the brands they stock, so I'm excited to see what they send me. 


#3 I Have Stitch Fix #4 shipped and judging by the receipt, I'm already disappointed. I asked for pants. No pants. 4 tops and a maxi skirt. The research I did shows that the maxi skirt is very similar to one I already own, so forget that. One of the tops is sleeveless. I can't even THINK about sleeveless tops right now.It was a whopping nine degrees out today. Hell to the no. One shirt looks to have a hideous blue and orange geometric pattern of ugliness. Yet another top is $78. Eff that. So, it looks like if I decide to keep anything at all, I have but one option. They will be hearing from me. What REALLY grinds my gears is that I see reviews from people all over the internet getting cute pieces I like that are 20 and 30 dollars cheaper than what I'm being sent. I TELL them this. I pin these things to my Pinterest board so they can see EXACTLY what things I mean. How is it that they don't have any dress pants in my size? I'm a really common size (6/8). Are beautiful wool pants out of fashion? Has the whole world converted to skinny jeans?!?!?!?! I LOATHE skinny jeans. On the subject of skinny jeans I signed up for another service called Cypress and 5th. You pay no money up front and they put a closet together for you. You pick 3 pieces for $75. A top, a bottom and an accessory. OR you can choose a dress and an accessory. When I got my first closet I was WAY bummed. ONE top I liked, I liked zero dresses, I liked zero skirts and there were ONLY SKINNY JEANS for bottoms. WTF?!?!?! When I contacted them about putting together a different selection they told me for pants that THEY ONLY HAD SKINNY JEANS IN STOCK. Dude. What is this world coming to?! I am now vehemently anti-skinny jeans. I won't wear them out of spite. Eff you skinny jeans!!!

4. I am super pleased with Julep. They are mostly nail polishes, but this month they are featuring some LOVELY cream eyeshadows. I chose the make-up box instead of the nail polish boxes and am getting a gel eyeliner and brush as well as an eyeshadow and a polish.  They are $19.99 a month for the basic box and you can add on. Their discounted add-on prices are super great deals. $4.99 for a nail polish instead of the $14 they normally charge. And they LAST.

5. I decided to try Plated. Plated is a fresh food/dinner prep delivery service. They send you everything you need to make an awesome dinner for 2 or more people. The ingredients are all fresh. No chemicals, no instant items. Fresh meat, vegetables, dairy, herbs, spices....you get the idea. They send you the food and instructions. You supply salt, pepper, water and the kitchenware. They have a great deal going on right now where you pay only shipping and get 4 meals for free. You even get the monthly subscription fee waived, which will get me discounts later on if I decided to continue. The menus are AWESOME. They create a menu of 6 dinners a week in the vegetarian, fish and land categories. Some are vegan. Some are gluten free. It tells you exactly what they're sending and what you will need, so you know ahead of time if you'd need to buy anything else or if you'd need to choose a different meal because of food allergies/sensitivities. They tell you the cooking difficulty, how long it will take and the calorie count as well. I'm STOKED that I caught such an awesome deal. I ordered 2 different meals for 2 people. Generally, it's $12 per plate as a member. $15 for non members. Becoming a member is a monthly charge of $10. Of course, if you commit to a year the membership charge is $8 a month. They do the math for you on the website to let you know how much you're saving if you keep up the subscription. You have to order at least 2 meals for 2 people in order for them to ship an order to you. It's not really worth it for them, otherwise. You never HAVE to get an order, but you DO have to specify NO ORDER each week if you decide you don't want one. $12 a plate sounds like kind of a lot and I don't know if I will keep up the subscription. I paid $20 for the 4 meals I ordered this time around, so at $5 a plate, this one order was SUPER worth it. They also have an ongoing %50 off your first order coupon floating around. To give you an idea of what they send you I will outline what I'm getting from one of the meals. It's skirt steak with cilantro chimichurri and carrot-citrus hash. They are sending: the steak, a yellow onion, garlic, honey, cayenne pepper, oranges, carrots, fresh cilantro, apple cider vinegar and a lemon. I'm super intrigued, so we'll see how it goes. If I like it and the roomie is willing to pay for his half of the foods, I may decided to keep it up.

6. And I hope you made it this far because I am OVER THE MOON about The Honest Company. They provide organic products for home, body and baby. I received a 40% off coupon when I signed up and didn't order anything, so I decided to use it to purchase one of their "Essentials" bundles. The great thing about this is that you can choose whatever 5 products you want in your bundle. You can add on 3 more products at %25 off each AND you can change the products in your bundle from month to month if you want. I ordered laundry detergent, dish soap, all purpose cleaning spray, Healing balm and body oil for my first bundle. I used the body oil after a shower last night and it is AMAZING. I wasn't at all greasy and my skin just soaked it all up. It had virtually no scent. All that's in it is sunflower seed oil, olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba, avocado oil, grapefruit peel oil, chamomile oil, tamanu oil, and two flower oils, calendula and matricaria. I understood every ingredient. They're all certified organic. It's made in the USA and they donate a portion of every purchase to needy families. Everything is free of petrochemicals, mineral oil, gluten, parabens, pthalates, fragrances and dyes. I am VERY allergic to dyes and fragrances. I can't use any laundry detergent or dryer sheet with fragrances or dyes. My skin turns into a giant itchy rash. I am SO PLEASED with all the products I bought from them and I would encourage anyone to check them out. I would up paying $27 and change for this bundle. Quite an excellent price. I also like the variety of home cleaning things and bath and body items that they sell. I have a box of different items set to be delivered next month. I may need more healing balm, though. I am addicted. My poor hands are chapped beyond recognition.

I will include my referral links in case anything I said has inspired you. I'm really taking a liking to the whole subscription box world. There are new deals popping up all the time, so it can be incredibly cheap to try something new and 98% of the boxes give you products that add up to much more value than you paid for them. And you don't have to deal with crowds or obnoxious people like you do when you venture out of your house. That is major bonus points to me.

Plated (yummy food stuffs)
Apparently you have to e-mail Petit Vour and tell them I'm great if you want to use a referral: contact@petitvour.com
Stitch Fix
The Honest Company
Julep
Birchbox

I should probably get to reading my O Chem....

HUZZAH It's Stitch Fix #3!!!!!

Hello Readers. I am so excited to bring to you photos from my latest Stitch Fix. I didn't sign up intending to get a monthly fix, but it has kind of worked out that way and I am more than okay with that. This is the most fun ever. I throw out a bunch of ideas and my stylist picks out 5 items, wraps them in a pretty little package and they're delivered right to my doorstep! I think Sasha and I are totally vibing on each other. I was thrilled that she was my stylist again (I did ask for her) AND that she checked out my Pinterest board AND referenced my last fix in this one in an attempt to help me build an outfit. Feel free to check out my first two fixes here  and here. I explain how this whole process works there. I would have posted this earlier, but I had a final tonight and was in full on panic mode. Fortunately I finished early and you get fashiony goodness. Behold my items:

There's something to this modeling thing. I stand like this and I look super thin. SO, I need your help as I am on the fence about this one. This is the 41 Hawthorn Franklin Solid Side Gathered Knit Shirt in black. It is $48. It is really clingy. Like, woah. The fabric is not my favorite. I can tell by the feel that it's synthetic. It's a good basic piece. Goes well with another piece I got in this box. $48, though? I could get a similar top at Target for less. I don't have any plain black tops though. Weird. Anway, what say you? Should I keep? 

LOVE THIS SWEATER. This is the Fate Garvey Tribal Print Open Front Cardigan. This item is $68. I am FO SHO keeping this. It's SO SOFT and well made and freaking adorable. I'm wearing the previous top underneath. This is right up my alley, a little bit boho, comfortable and chic. No brainer. 

Close up of the pattern. I mean, REALLY LOVE.

A SCARF! I'm a scarfaholic. Seriously. I have maybe 20. I don't care. Don't judge. I love them. And I love this one even more because I also love birds. This is the Rikka Henry Birds on a Branch Infinity Scarf. This retails for $28. I am keeping it. It's soft and fluffy and there's SO MUCH OF IT. So cozy.  And my hair looks so cute in this photo. Yay hair stylist! <3

On to the one item I was not fond of. Hoo Boy. This is the Sanchez Striped Lurex Detail Jacket. In my mind it's 1993 and I am the fifty-something mother of the bride in this jacket. Fortunately it was too small in the arm and the boob. This is actually the first thing they've sent me that hasn't really fit. This was also, $88. Ha! No. To be fair, I asked for something sparkly for the holiday and this IS sparkly. I was hoping for a top with an embellished collar or tiny sparkles on a neutral color pallet. I should have been more specific. My bad. I take some of the responsibility for this. Note my wary eyebrows. Sasha did mention that she thought I could pair this with the dress I kept from my previous fix. I really appreciated that since I do feel like that dress needs a sparkly little something. This missed the mark, though. Can't win 'em all, I suppose.

Worse when it's zipped up. Are you feeling the early 90's MoB vibe? I'm telling you, I Will Always Love You is playing in the background.  Or Ace of Base. Or Color Me Badd. 

Close up of the sparkles. BAM.

And finally we have the Kut From the Kloth O'Neil Houndstooth Hi-Lo Blouse. Houndstooth. Oh how I adore thee. This top retails for $68. I found it on Amazon in the KFTK boutique on sale for $44. The exact same top. I will more than likely buy it there. It's looser than I would normally wear, but I like the red and I like the pattern, so I figure I could rock a different fit. On the whole pricing topic, this is the first item I've found out of the 15 I've been sent that I found for less somewhere else. Note my model stance. It really works!

So, when all is said and done my total would be $180 including the 25% for all 5 pieces including my $30 credit and the $20 styling fee. I'm DEFINITELY sending the jacket back. So, I'm not getting all 5. Love the sweater and the scarf. I think I'll save my money and buy my basics at Target. So, my total of $88 - the $20 styling fee, -$30 credit and I'm paying $38 for a sweater and a scarf. Can't beat that. I have to say, I really love this service. I like the element of surprise, I even don't mind getting the one dud, it makes things a little funny. And I am being stretched out of my comfort zone, which I also like. So if you're interested check them out Here! If nothing else, I have really enjoyed getting incredibly awesome mail. Mail that has clothes in it instead of bills. 

 As always, Stitch Fix in no way compensates me or asks for my opinion. I spend my own dollars and spew my own thoughts. Anyone else get a fix? Thoughts? What did you get? I loooove to see what other people get! Until next time!
~J

Stitch Fix #3 on it's way!!!

Stitch Fix #3 is on the truck for Delivery AS WE SPEAK. So, there'll be another post today. Yahoo. I already have a feeling that I know what I'll be keeping due to my investigative efforts. CAN'T WAIT.

Stitch Fix #2

HEY HEY HEY! It's that time again!!!! Stitch Fix arrived today! So, like the anxious little bunny I am, I cheated and checked out my receipt online prior to receiving my delivery and I became SO. FREAKING. EXCITED. You may remember from my last Stitch Fix that I was terribly disappointed by the boring, expensive and not that cute stuff they sent me. I was polite, but very honest in my feedback. I was bummed, man. No accessories, no prints, no quirky anything. And on top of it, more expensive than I could afford. So when I saw my receipt which included a herringbone-esque print dress, a sleeveless dress, a quirky print top, a quirky print cardigan and a necklace I KNEW someone had paid attention. Stitch Fix, you made me a believer. FYI: They do not compensate me. These are my own thoughts and opinions and I paid for everything with my own hard earned dollars. No one is getting a special deal here.  

Do y'all even know what Stitch Fix is? It's an online personal stylist/shopper. You fork over $20, you fill out a lengthy questionnaire, you maybe create a pinterest board for them. They send you 5 items. If you buy, the $20 you already spent gets put toward your purchase. If you buy all 5 pieces, you get 25% off. Not a bad deal. Plus, no crowds, no annoying sales people, and you're trying stuff on at home. Your box comes with styling cards to help you put your new clothes to use AND a giant envelope to send the stuff you don't want back. You pay nothing to return your items. I even schedule a package pick up online, so I just have to put the envelope on my front steps. It's literally hassle free. The clothes CAN run on the expensive side, however, they are still cheaper than some fancy retail stores I could name. You can also tell them how much you're willing to spend. 

On to the attire!

So, I'm not wearing anything because the freaking hall lightbulb went out and I have no lightbulbs to replace it with at present. So it was very dark near my full length mirror. Sorry. You'll have to take me at my word for the fit. ALSO, I had a new stylist this time. Her name was Sasha and she has done a GREAT job. I hope I get her for my next fix (hint hint) *fingers crossed*.

This is the Yumi Benedict Swan Print Peter Pan Collar Top. It was marked as $68. I did some price checking. This shirt happens to be on sale at present, but it's regular retail price is more expensive than the Stitch Fix price. The cardigan you'll see later is MUCH cheaper on Stitch Fix than on the Yumi website. Call me impressed. So, I LOVE the swans. Love love love. The button side happens to be the back. I would have kept this, but the cut and the neckline made me look like a School Marm from the 19th Century. No good. Really cute print, though. I also felt like this was maybe not the best quality of fabric and stitching. I'm sending this one back.

 This is the front

This dress is the Honey Punch Lina Mini Chevron knit dress. $64. Again, LOVE the print however, I am short in the torso and the way the waistline hit me, I looked even shorter (all boobs, no torso) and boxy. It was a beautiful heavy knit too. I was a bit sad it made me look wide. This one goes back too. 

This is the 41 Hawthorn Dita Sleeveless Ponte Dress. It says it's navy. Looked black to me. *shrug* $68. It looked boring on the hanger, but when I put it on......This dress FIT LIKE A GLOVE. IN FACT, I thought it made my figure look better than it actually is. It's snug at the smallest part of my waist without accentuating the flabby parts and flares just enough to cover any other potential lumpy parts. It's a fabulous thick fabric that hangs beautifully. 

 Maybe it is Navy. Here's the close up of the waist detailing. I need a shiny little bolero to jazz it up for the holidays. Yes. I said jazz it up. No, I was not born in 1924. I'm keeping this dress. It will work for a ton of social situations. And I can easily JAZZ IT UP. JAZZ. Moving on...o_O

So I just got back from the salon, but it's humid as all get out here, so my hair has started to misbehave. Kindly ignore the crazy flippiness. This is the 41 Hawthorn Tear Gems Fringe Bib Necklace. $28. YAY accessory. However, I didn't really like it. the gold part at the top was a little too plastic-y for me and as you can see, I could NOT get the gems to lay right. Good price, though. Back in the envelope you go.

On to the final item. Which I also kept. The Yumi Clay Owl Print Button-Up Cotton Cardigan. $48. OWLS! Owls are my favorite. I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to them. Fits perfectly. So in love with this. Here's the back. Note the AWESOME elbow patches and the adorable owl detail. Someone was DEFINITELY checking out my Pinterest board. 

And the front. The owls have adorable little beads for eyes. I also thought this fabric was good quality and the piece was well made. It came with a bunch of extra beads so I can repair it when the little eyes fall off. 

So, there you have it. SOMEONE used my referral code (Erika!) and I got a credit, so after all was said and done I spent $91 on the dress and the cardigan. Not bad. If I'd purchased all 5 items it would have cost me $187 which works out to about $36 a piece, which is a really reasonable amount of money to spend, IMHO. I posted my referral code under the first link and here it is again. I don't expect you to use it, but if you choose to I would be very thankful as I would get a $25 credit to use on my next fix and I am a poor lady with expensive taste. I have to say, if you do it and you're bummed with your first fix ABSOLUTELY give it one more shot. If #2 is crummy, then go ahead and call it quits. I could not be more pleased with the items they sent me this time around. Sasha even apologized for the bummer first fix in her note to me. I scheduled a third fix for December and asked for a shiny holiday piece and one on trend piece for 2014 that might be a little out of my comfort zone. I'm trying to broaden my fashion horizons, after all. I can't WAIT to see what I get!

I'm a terrible blogger. I forget. I get busy. I don't blog. Sorry.

ANYHOO. My next Stitch Fix is due at the end of next week. This will be the make or break Fix. If they took into consideration my responses from Fix #1 and checked out my Pinterest board I will more than likely keep going. If I get a whole bunch of stuff that sucks again/It's clear to me they paid no attention to my feedback, then I will be quitting. The good news is that I got a referral (YAY!), so my next styling fee is taken care of plus an extra $5. So, I lose nothing if this next fix is crummy.

Remember I mentioned the Haute Look Fall Beauty Bag? Well, it came. Everything was as promised with the exception of the mascara. It was dried out. Which totally bummed me out, so I contacted customer service, just hoping they'd send me a new mascara. They were awesome. Not only did they refund my entire purchase, they gave me a $15 merchandise credit. The Customer service reps were also prompt and incredibly nice. I would highly recommend doing business with them. They're MUCH better than some other flash sale websites I've purchased from.

I've been up and down emotionally recently. Not sure whether it's because of fluctuating lady hormones or because of my life situation in general. I'm trying like hell to remain positive. Last night I watches Planes, Trains, and Automobiles in an attempt to improve my mood. It worked. John Candy and Steve Martin were fabulous. I need to stop listening to morose music on Spotify and instead make my way through all of John Candys' movies.

Anyway, I'm off to attempt some very gluten-y cinnamon rolls. Ta-ta!

Keaton Row Vs. Stitch Fix.

Ugh. The more I read other bloggers posts about their awesome Stitch Fix experiences the more disappointed and annoyed I become. I also become more anxious to receive Fix #2 to see if they listen to my feedback and actually LOOK at my pinterest board. Luckily for me, one of my lovely pharmacists used my referral code to order themselves a fix, so my next delivery is free and I'll have an extra $5 left over to apply to any purchase. I DID check out this other stylist service in the meantime, Keaton Row. It's a bit different. You again, fill out a questionnaire and request a lookbook. Then they pick out 3 stylists they think you'll be a good match with and you choose which one you want based on their profile. You can also request new choices if you don't like the ones they picked for you. Then the stylist contacts you, asks you a few questions and starts pulling looks for you. Nothing gets mailed to you, but they send you a link to your lookbook which has 10-12 pages of outfits and items picked out for you. They work with some pretty high end boutiques, so the prices can be INSANE, however, my stylist knew my budget and threw in some less expensive items. She also mentioned that they were working on setting up a partnership with other stores so that they could carry more pieces that are at a lower price point. I adored 95% of what she picked out for me. So much so that I already owned similar items and/or had pinned the EXACT thing she picked out to a style pinterest board. The stylist leaves little notes on some of the pieces to give you a clue as to why she chose it. She definitely paid attention to my love of old man prints and quirky prints while trying to update them to be more on trend. I really appreciated her effort. I do plan on buying at least one piece as a thank you because these stylists work on commission. You can also submit a portfolio to apply to become a stylist. Which I thought was pretty cool. If I were a more stylish individual I might just do that. I liked the promptness of Keaton Row. It took them a few days to pick a few stylists for me, but as soon as I chose one I had a lookbook by that evening. I also like that you get so many pieces to choose from. The best part? The styling is free. They only get paid if you buy something. There's no box on your doorstep full of things to try on, but because of the convenience of the internet, if you don't like something, you can tell them ASAP and get it changed just as quickly. I would encourage people to try Keaton Row. Especially as soon as they start working with those lower price point stores.

Stitch Fix #1

I apologize in advance for my shoddy camera skills. I have my phone and nothing else to take photos with.

Oh, Stitch Fix. I have seen your reviews and coveted the things other people received. Like that adorable top with the tiny swans. Oh how I want that top. 4 out of 5 items in my first Fix were a big miss. Well.....2 of the items were a HUGE miss and two others were a small miss. These Pants. They are $88. Kensie floral print skinny jeans. REALLY skinny. The print didn't bug me, but I didn't love it. The waist fit perfectly. These pants were about an inch shorter than I'd wear (I have a 32" inseam) and were TIGHT. Like, couldn't bend my knee all the way tight. I'd also NEVER EVER spend $88 on jeans. I cringe forking over the $60 I fork over at The Gap. $60 is my limit, Stitch Fix. Huge miss #1.

I have no words to describe how much I effing hate this vest. It's boxy, too masculine, drab...I would never ever in a million years pick this out for myself. I just...I can't even. I'm guessing that my 

 stylist did not look at my pinterest board. I reviewed it VERY carefully and there is not one thing on there that would EVER suggest that this awful vest would be something I would like. And it's $58. I wouldn't pay $10. I wouldn't take this if it were free. It's just so ugly. Did you guess that this was the other huge miss? I Bet you did.

Hate the studs. 

Not better open.

So THIS is the Jemdy heathered dolman sleeve top. $48. The knit of the sweater is very loose. And clearly, you can see my bra through it. I don't feel like this is something that you layer underneath, so....yeah. I didn't mind the color which is a black and white heather. I was mostly disappointed that it was such a boring piece. I also didn't feel like the quality of the fabric was good. I couldn't see it holding up through repeated washings.

 The 41 Hawthorn Aleah heathered dolman sleeve top. This one is $58. So, I was disappointed that I got two of these batwing sweaters. I ADORE the color. I desperately want to add some burgundy to my wardrobe. This is not that piece. I said that I prefer clothes that are fitted to my body. This makes me look like I have a spare tire. I wear a 6/8. Also, the neck is HUGE. I don't mind a little cleavage action as long as I feel secure that the top isn't going to accidentally slip and expose one of the girls. That's a definite risk in this top.

And now we arrive at the piece I like. The 41 Hawthorne Colibri Solid color tab sleeve blouse. I'm a terrible photographer. All I have is my phone and it doesn't do the color justice. This is a GORGEOUS royal purple. It fits perfectly. I actually prefer the sleeve un-tabbed. This one is $48. I already paid a $20 styling fee, so this will only cost me another $28. I feel like it's very figure flattering and I love the color for fall. This will also work with pretty much everything in my closet.

The verdict? Everyone I've talked to that has used the service said to order at least 2 fixes to see if they improve with your feedback. I was disappointed in the lack of variety and the price of the items. Especially since I specifically said the lowest price point possible. I scoured other internet reviews and I know there are super cute Stitch Fix pieces out there that are not so expensive. I was also sad that there were no accessories. I was really hoping for one (cute scarf?). I do REALLY like this purple top, however. My next fix arrives on 11/23. I requested something to wear to holiday gatherings. I'm hoping between that and my feedback that I'll get a better box the second time around. If I see improvement, I'll keep it up. What do you think of the pieces? Disagree? Agree? Think I should keep something else?

Recipes I promised yesterday.

Ok, so I lied about posting the recipes yesterday. I hit a snafu with the soul cakes and didn't have time to fix it before the Phish concert. Which was totally amazing, btw. Friggin religious experience. And I had killer seats, so all in all it was the best night I've had in a long time. I've been dancing to Fee playing inside my head all day long. Love those guys.

SO! Gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes. I adapted the recipe from this recipe I found on Pinterest from this lovely woman, Julie:
http://www.confessionsofacookingdiva.com/2013/10/16/pumpkin-pancakes/

I then subbed out regular flour with the Bob's Red Mill GF all purpose cooking flour and added semi-sweet chocolate chips. The pumpkin and the chocolate chips completely masked the beany quality of the Bob's. I also highly recommend (er...insist) on using high quality syrup. Having been born and raised in W. Mass in the middle of sugaring country has spoiled me. Unless it's direct from a sugar house, it's not real maple syrup.

Soul Cakes! They are a traditional pagan confection made and passed out on Samhain. It protected the receivers from curses and they would then pray for the person that gave it to them, thus ensuring that everyone would get into heaven. Bam. So my snafu WAS that I forgot the dang sugar. Ugh. And I used the Bob's red mill, so it was like a chalky bean flavored cookie. Terrible. I got the recipe from Food.com. Here's the link:
http://www.food.com/recipe/soul-cakes-143070

My delightful friend Sarah suggested this GF sub: 
     Try replacing the flour in the original recipe with an equal amount of a mixture that's 5 parts rice flour, 3 parts potato starch, 2 parts sorghum OR oat flour - either will work, and 1 part tapioca starch. And add a teaspoon of xanthan gum.
She's so good.

My Stitch Fix is due to arrive tomorrow, btw. Pictures soon!
~J

Happiness Rule #1: You work hard. Treat yourself.

One of the things I've been doing to keep up my happiness quotient is giving myself little treats here and there. I work full time and I'm a part time student, so I frequently feel like I don't get to have any fun and that I'm missing out because I'm always freaking working or studying. I get a birchbox every month and I recently subscribed to Stitch Fix. If you're unfamiliar with either of these things, Birchbox, for $10 a month sends deluxe high end beauty samples that you can tailor to your preferences. They also give you the opportunity to earn money off of items you buy from their site. For instance, I fell in love with an eye cream they sent in one of my boxes. It was $65. Yikes. However I got a 30% off code and then collected enough points to get another $10 off. It cost me $29. SO HAPPY. I FREAKING LOVE BIRCHBOX. Seriously. I highly recommend to anyone who is feeling in a beauty rut or just wants to give themselves a little monthly gift to check it out. Stitch Fix is an online personal stylist/shopper. For $20 a stylist picks out clothing that he/she thinks will suit you based on a seriously thorough questionnaire you fill out on their site. You can specify items you want, colors, patterns, amount of money you want to spend, etc. I'm getting my first box in the mail this week. They include a prepaid envelope so you can return anything you don't buy and you have three days to decide whether or not you're keeping the items. I will post photos as soon as it gets here, so if you're interested you can check it out. I'm a little concerned because since it shipped, I can now see the prices of each of the pieces they selected although I can't see the actual pieces. I had specified the cheaper the better. Yeah. There's some $88 jeans in there. I would NEVER spend that much on jeans. I usually get them @ The Gap and those are around $50. That's about my max price. The $20 styling fee does get applied as a credit to this fix and they DO offer 25% the whole shebang if you buy all the pieces, but still. Zowie. If I bought the whole box I'd be paying another $205 on top of the $20 I already spent. I will be expressing my disappointment over the price in my comments about the fix and giving them another shot. I did some research through other customer reviews, so I KNOW they have pieces that don't cost as much that are still cute. I plan to buy at least one of the pieces because I don't want to lose that $20, but I would have been happier if I could have afforded to keep more of them. Harumph. We'll see. I'm also guessing that I will love the $88 and be super sad about having to return them. Most of the reviewers kept at least one piece. I have yet to see anyone that sent them all back. So they must be doing something right. 

Tonight I'm seeing Phish (SQUEE!!!!) and before then I'm doing some Halloween/Samhain baking. In fact, all I have is GF flour in the house and it's too beany for the cakes I'm making, so I have to pop out and grab some gluten-y flour. I'll post the Soul Cake recipe (and an explanation as to what they are) and the GF pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes recipe I made for breakfast this morning later on today.

Here's My Birchbox referral link if you're interested: http://birch.ly/1aLYFF6

I'll post the Stitch Fix link when I post the photos. :)

Cheers

~J